Southwestern's Gianna Sirianni is fouled by Waterloo's Khia Moody during the first half of Wednesday's NYSPHSAA Class B Far West Regional at Gates Chili High School in Rochester. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

ROCHESTER – Addison Bree started for Waterloo three years ago when the Tigers won the first New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship in program history.

Gwyn Panek was a role player off the bench for that title team.

Now the two share the spotlight as the Section V champions look to get back to Troy.

The Tigers made it one step closer Wednesday evening as they beat Southwestern 67-45 in the Class B Far West Regional at Gates Chili High School.

Bree paced Waterloo with 19 points while Panek added 17. The pair combined for 29 points during a 37-22 first half that all but sealed their spot in Saturday’s state quarterfinal at Finger Lakes Community College.

For a young Trojans team, the loss ended a 17-8 season that saw them split the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 championship and claim the 17th sectional title in program history.

Waterloo was the better team from the start Wednesday.

The Tigers led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, their lead growing to as many as 11 before Southwestern’s Gianna Sirianni made a basket in the closing seconds.

The Trojans closed the gap to just four as Charlotte Beaver and Sirianni hit 3-pointers early in the second quarter, but Waterloo closed the period on a 17-6 run to lead by 15 at halftime.

Southwestern remained within 15 of the Tigers with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter, but Panek’s lone 3-pointer of the evening made it 50-32 with 1:38 left. Delainey Battin then made a pair of free throws with 17.1 seconds remaining to make it 52-32 entering the final eight minutes.

Jada Edwards scored 8 of the first 10 points of the fourth quarter for Southwestern as it again cut its deficit to 15, but the Trojans went 1 of 4 from the field and turned the ball over three times over their final seven possessions as Waterloo put the game away.

Southwestern hopes Wednesday’s loss is just the start of a special few years in the near future. The Trojans graduate just two seniors – only Braya Beaver played Wednesday – while bringing back three juniors, a sophomore, two freshmen and two eighth-graders.

NOTES: Khia Moody chipped in 9 points for Waterloo, which shot 23 of 52 from the field, including 6 of 15 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over just nine times. … Charlotte Beaver had 16 points, six rebounds and two steals; Edwards had 10 points and four steals; and Sirianni had 9 points, four rebounds and two steals for Southwestern, which shot 13 of 50 from the field, including 7 of 25 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 18 times.

SOUTHWESTERN (45)

Sirianni 3 1 9, Cresanti 1 4 6, Charles 0 2 2, BBeaver 0 2 2, Edwards 4 1 10, CBeaver 5 2 16, Ricker 0 0 0. Totals 13 12 45.

WATERLOO (67)

KBree 1 0 3, APanek 0 0 0, Godley 0 0 0, ABree 7 3 19 GPanek 8 0 17, Williams 2 1 6, Esquibel 1 0 3, Hawkins 2 2 6, Moody 3 3 9, Battin 1 2 4. Totals 25 11 67.

3-point goals-Sirianni 2, Edwards, CBeaver 4, KBree, ABree 2, GPanek, Williams, Esquibel.

Southwestern 10 12 10 13 – 45

Waterloo 19 18 15 15 – 67